Review Summary

This imaginative low-budget horror film from first-time director Frank LaLoggia tells the story of shy high-school student Andrew (Stefan Arngrim) who, in a nod to the Omen films, slowly begins to realize that his feelings of alienation stem from the fact that he is the Antichrist. This revelation is not lost on Andrew's elderly next-door neighbor and one of his fellow students -- both of whom are actually archangels-in-hiding who have been waiting for the inevitable moment when the boy's latent identity finally surfaces. Andrew's first demonstration of his powers allows him to avenge himself on his cruel classmates (in an imaginative scene, one macho poser is gifted with breasts), but soon he begins to undergo a more dramatic change. The climactic moment comes during an outdoor Passion play performance -- during which the actor portraying Jesus on-stage ends up crucified for real -- and archangels Gabriel and Michael arrive to fulfill their destiny in the final battle between good and evil. Considering the budgetary limitations, this is still an impressive debut, tackling its weighty metaphysical themes with style and intensity seldom seen in other teen-horror films and boasting a superb score blending punk, pop, and new wave tracks with haunting Gregorian chants. Apart from its artistic merit, Fear No Evil should stand as an inspiration to young filmmakers everywhere. Producer/director Frank LaLoggia managed to scrape up 150,000 dollars to finance the production and find distributors all on his own -- all at the tender age of 23 -- long before his success directing the more subdued supernatural opus Lady in White. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi